Traditionally nurses are bedside clinicians. It is important to be aware that society does have a place for nurses outside of direct patient care. A quick search of the internet reveals some obvious alternatives such as telenursing, case management, and medical transcription. These all have very strong merits, however, there is an entire world of alternative job opportunities to consider for the nurse who wants to take their career to the next level. The following are few ideas to consider, and would require a fair amount of ambition and patience. As they say, anything worth doing is worth doing well!

Politics – Did you know that there are currently 7 Registered Nurses who are serving in the US Congress? Nurses are found at the state congressional level as well. If you are interested in policy making and working with the public (and special interest groups), this may be an option for you. Think locally as well, opportunities exist in many communities to run for an elected or appointed position on the city council or on an advisory board. If you prefer to avoid the big seat, consider working for a politician, providing important advice based on experience, relationships, and education.